


Medals

by BirdyBanter



Category: Starsky & Hutch
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Gen, Homophobia, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-17
Updated: 2020-04-17
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:28:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,824
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23703889
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BirdyBanter/pseuds/BirdyBanter
Summary: The Lieutenant is a man to be greatly admired, especially for his bravery, he'd do anything to help people. But I think he was trying to be everything to everyone because he didn't want to stop and think about someone who was everything to him.
Relationships: Ken Hutchinson & David Starsky
Comments: 1
Kudos: 17





	Medals

**Author's Note:**

> The connection and affection with these two is so strong that it's not really important if this is slash or Gen so decide for yourself.

I only knew the Lieutenant for a few months but he lived up to his legendary reputation. He was a forceful guy, tough and he took no nonsense. From what I’ve heard he always had dark moods and could be a grumpy son of a gun but there was always one person who could bring him out of a funk, but that guy wasn’t around anymore. So, I guess his moods lasted longer. It’s not like he didn’t appreciate a good joke sometimes or the odd prank, especially on new guys like me. I even heard him once talking back to Captain Dobey and he’s just about the only guy who could get away with that. He was also as brave and intelligent as I was led to believe and every bit as intense and commanding. 

Of course, we all heard the stories of Starsky and Hutch at the academy, they are the two most decorated police officers on the Bay City police force. Their conviction rates are something any cop would envy. But to me the Lieutenant was my boss and mentor and he was damn fine at both roles. I hope I can be half the success as a police officer as he was. 

I remember when I first met the lieutenant. I was called into his office my first day at the precinct. I knocked on the door and heard a gruff, ‘Come In.’ When I entered the lieutenant had his head down doing some paperwork. After a minute or two I cleared my throat to get his attention. 

He looked up and said, ‘Ah, yes Edwards isn’t it?’

I nodded and then I guess a little nervously said, ‘Yes that’s right Sir.’

‘First day isn’t It?’

‘Yes.’ 

‘And how are you feeling? More scared or more anxious? Think about it for a minute before you answer.’

‘I wasn’t sure if it was a test or what but I could tell by the way he was looking at me that the answer would tell him something about me.’

‘Both.’ I said with slightly put on confidence.’

‘Pick one.’ He said with a hard stare looking into not at me.’

‘Both.’

‘You have to be feeling one more than the other. Why can’t you pick?’

‘It’s both, that is my answer. I can’t give a truer one.’

‘Good.’

‘Good?’

‘Yes, if you’d said more excited then I’d know you were a fool likely to get yourself killed the first month. You need the fear, it keeps you sharp. If you said more scared, then the streets would be no place for you. As strange as it sounds you have to want to be there, if doing this job doesn’t excite you, sing through your body, you won’t have that much needed edge. The thrill of ensuring justice is done. That’s everything.’ 

‘I’m glad you approve Sir.’

‘Lieutenant, not Sir. That’s how you should address me and my approval is not as important as your own. But I am your boss and I will give you orders I expect you to obey. Your life and other peoples could depend on it. But you also have to be true to your own instincts, your life and those you’re sworn to protect will depend on it. I want you to trust those instincts, it’s vital out there that you do. Unfortunately, I can’t be your friend but I want you to feel you can come to me for any advice or guidance you might need. You can ask me anything, especially if you think the answer will help you become a better cop. I want you to be the best cop you can be,’ he then offered me a brief smile and said, ‘Oh, and I’m sure I may even learn a thing or two from you as well, Edwards.’

I smiled back but the eye contact was broken as he turned his attention back to his paperwork. I suppose I should have taken that as my cue to leave. I had effectively been dismissed. But like a true rookie, I stood there waiting, for what I’m not sure. My eyes roamed round the room before settling on a picture behind the Lieutenant’s head.

‘That’s me and my partner.’ He had caught me looking and I felt like a kid with his hand in the cookie jar. 

‘I…I’m sorry, I was just…’

‘Curious?’ 

‘Yeah.’

Not a bad thing for a cop to be, just mind it doesn’t get you in trouble. You’ve got to be subtle about these things.’

I didn’t heed his warning. 

‘He…is he still….’ I left my question hanging, realizing it was a stupid one.

‘He’ll always be my partner and the best damn cop I’ve ever known whether he’s on the force or not. Does that answer your question?’ His eyes contained the quality of a banked fire. I had no wish to fan any flames. 

‘Yes.’ I told him but it was one of many, that I knew then I could never ask and even if I was fool enough to, he would not answer. 

‘Good, you can go now Edwards.’ 

His attention went to his paperwork and I turned to leave but then I stopped and turned back.

Uh S-Lieutenant…just one more question. Why is the picture to your back where you can’t look at it?’ It was a tactless question or would have been if the answer he gave was different.

‘I see you haven’t learnt the lesson of subtle curiosity but if you really want to know the answer is simple; David Starsky will always have my back.’ 

I nodded and then so did he nothing further needed to be said and then I left shutting the door behind me. Of all the answers I thought he’d give; I hadn’t expected that one. The Lieutenant was for sure an interesting man.

I thought about the man in that picture as I got to know the Lieutenant better. He was cool under pressure, sure of himself, had a quiet authority, inspired respect and was I believe a natural leader. It was hard to imagine him in a more equal role. Sometimes taking his lead from his partner. I was intrigued as much by the man I didn’t know, had never met as the one I was slowly getting to know. 

All I knew about Sergeant Starsky was what I’d heard at the academy and in more detail round the station. He was by all accounts as brave as his partner, smart, fun loving with a fierce intent on justice. I knew that he had been shot of course, badly enough that two years later he wasn’t recovered enough to return to the job. He was in a coma for a few months, hospital for a few more and then a rehab centre for a month more here in Bay City but then he transferred to a rehab facility in New York, to be closer to family. I had a few different sources for my information, fellow officers but also janitors, cleaners and of course the canteen staff. It’s not professional for cops to gossip, especially on duty but on breaks and lunch the guard comes down and things are overheard. Through my hopefully subtle enquires I managed to piece together nearly the whole picture. It is important to make use of informants in this line of work, a message the Lieutenant drummed into me. 

I wanted to impress him it was important to me but looking back it’s possible it was more than that. I wanted to not just learn from him I also wanted to learn about him. How else can you really be like someone you look up to. You can’t do that by only knowing part of what makes the man, you’ve got to know all of it or at least as much as possible. And a big part of who my Lieutenant is as a person is mixed up in his relationship with his former partner. I found out a bit more about their bond when I sought out my Lieutenant on my lunch break one afternoon. 

I knocked on his door. I waited but there was no reply, so I knocked again.

‘What is it?’ He shouted through the door not sounding like he wanted to talk to anyone. I ignored that.

‘Lieutenant, it’s Edwards I need to speak to you about the Saunders case.’ I shouted back.

‘Alright, make it quick.’ 

I opened the door and went in. The Lieutenant had the phone to his ear and didn’t bother looking at me.

‘Okay, yeah, no listen Buddy this’ll only take a minute. Hold for me will ya? Thanks.’

He set the receiver down on the table.

‘Alright what is it Edwards make it quick.’ He was looking at the phone and not at me.

‘I noticed something at Mr. Sanders apartment I thought you’d want to know about.’

‘And it couldn’t wait ‘til after lunch.’ He did look at me then, with a level look that told me he thought pretty much anything could and almost certainly should have waited. 

‘No, Sir, I think this is important.’

‘What did you see?’

‘There was an article about Julie Brown in one of the draws of his desk.’

She was one of the people we’d questioned about Sanders’ murder. And the article pointed towards a possible motive and as my Lieutenant’s eyebrows went up, I knew he was well ahead of what my theory was. 

‘Okay, alright take a seat.’ 

I did and then he picked up the phone turned away from me and spoke quietly into it.

‘Yeah, you got it…um, I know, me too. Same time tomorrow Babe? Or tonight? Yeah okay then, talk then.’

The Lieutenant put the phone down then and we went straight into talking about the case. I had lost interest in it though. I was trying to figure out who was on the phone. From the end of the conversation I would of guessed a girlfriend because he said ‘Babe’ but earlier he said ‘Buddy’ I don’t know many guys who call their gals ‘buddy’ so I was confused. It was clearly someone important. He didn’t want it interrupted for work and only reluctantly cut it short to discuss a breakthrough on a high-profile murder case. This person, whoever they were must have been the centre of his world.

Julie Brown did turn out to be the killer. Or at least she hired someone to do it. The Lieutenant congratulated me on my observation but cautioned me on not making too much of it in front of the other more experienced guys, who probably should have noticed it themselves. He didn’t say why he hadn’t noticed but then he had a lost of cases on his desk and as I recall, he was called away before he could do much of a search. The Lieutenant was a hands-on guy but he had to learn to delegate. 

It was a few more weeks before I had cause to disturb the Lieutenant on his lunch break. I was about to knock on his door when I was grabbed by the arm before I could complete the action. It was Sergeant Babcock.

‘I wouldn’t if I were you.’ He told me with a hard stare.

‘But I need to speak to-‘

‘No, trust me not now. He’s on the phone and won’t thank you for the interruption.’

I was going to argue the point but was cut off with a gesture that told me to save it so I walked away. I came back to the office towards the end of lunch and the place was deserted. So I went to the Lieutenant’s door. I was going to knock but for some stupid reason I leaned against it instead to listen.

I only just heard the words, ‘Starsk, Starsky?! Okay, okay I won’t shout but just listen will ya?’ 

That’s all I heard before I caught the sound of footsteps behind me.

It was Babcock again. ‘I thought I told you to get out of here.’ He roared at me. 

I high tailed it out of there. I’m not sure he saw me literally listening, but he never pulled me up about it and I was grateful for that.

I had the answer I wanted. And I realized that it was a daily ritual I was disturbing because I confirmed what I thought I already knew. Every lunch time my Lieutenant called his former partner, probably without fail. 

I wasn’t sure about the relationship between the two partners. They were friends, best friends I was told, closer than brothers according to Detective Starsky himself (that information came from Minnie). There was love there, a brotherly love perhaps but it could have been more than that. One of the older Sergeants, nearing retirement described them as ‘probably a couple of queers,’ in a conversation I overheard outside the station one evening. Of course, the audacity of the much younger Lieutenant chewing him out earlier that day probably had something to do with his nasty comments. I didn’t think my Lieutenant was gay. His reputation with the ladies was as legendary as his one as a cop. But I discovered for myself in that first month that he was an open-minded guy and definitely no bigot. 

I was in the changing rooms and one of the guys, Stanners had started on me. I admit I’m not big with the ladies. I’m kind of single minded. If I’m not working, I’m studying or doing research. I’m new to this place and haven’t got too many good friends yet and most of the guys aren’t really on my wavelength. But I didn’t think any of that gave him a right to go off at me. He pointed out something about my ‘mannerisms’ that I don’t think is true.

‘You’re a queer, aren’t ya? A cocksucker, that’s you. You walk, talk and…and prance about like one. You’re disgustin’ a disgrace to the uniform.’ He poked me in the chest as he spoke. 

‘I oughta punch you out right here,’ he continued and then pulled his arm back to make good on the threat I was about to block him when his fist was grabbed by a large hand.

‘I wouldn’t do that if I were you.’ The Lieutenant said.

‘Stay out of this Hutchinson.’ Stanners growled.

‘That’s Lieutenant Hutchinson to you Stanners. Edwards is one of my men and I’m your superior officer. What I say goes, I won’t have my men belittled and I won’t stand for fighting in the ranks, are we clear?’

‘Yes, Sir.’ Stanners said with a sneer.

‘I expect respect from my subordinates Sergeant. Take that look off your face or you’ll be on traffic for the next six months. Oh, and Stanners get with the times, we won’t stand for bigotry in the police force anymore.’ 

With that he squeezed the man’s fist that he still had a tight grip on and Stanners couldn’t suppress a grown. Then the fist was released, and the Lieutenant left the changing room.

‘Fucking queers are everywhere.’ Stanners said to no one in particular but I smirked as he rubbed his hand. 

I had respected the Lieutenant from the start but discovering that he had no time for bigots and bullies only made him go up in my estimation. I could’ve handled Stanners myself but the loyalty and values my superior displayed that day were worth any minor dent in my macho pride. 

The lieutenant is more often than not in his office at the end of the day, always one of the last to leave. I think he works too hard and doesn’t have much outside of the job but then I can’t talk. So one night I decided I would ask him to come to the bar. I think maybe I was feeling a little lonely and even if he was my boss and a bit older than me I still felt I had more in common with him than the other guys. 

‘Come in.’ He said after I knocked a couple of times.

I walked in and stood right in front of his desk. ‘I…um was wondering Lieutenant if you would like to come for a drink.’

His response was to look up at me and study me before raising his eyebrows in a sort of question.

‘A few of the guys are meeting up for a few drinks at the usual place and as it’s been a long week, I thought…’ I gave up then and sort of shrugged. 

‘It’s always a long week, thanks for the offer but I think I’ll give it a miss, you guys don’t want the boss crampin’ your style.’

‘No you wouldn’t…you…’ 

‘Thanks anyway Edwards, go enjoy yourself.’

I knew that was my cue to leave. So I did. I got as far as the edge of the squad room when I heard him.

‘Hey, Edwards.’ He called and I turned.

He was leaning on the edge of his door, head out and he continued. ‘Maybe just the one then.’ 

I don’t know what changed his mind, but I was glad he came that night. The guys weren’t there when we arrived but to his credit, he didn’t call me on it. They were never going to meet us; I couldn’t be sure they would be there at all but I took the risk maybe because I thought the Lieutenant would say no. 

‘So, how are you finding it?’ The Lieutenant asked as we sat in relative silence nursing our beers. 

‘I’m learning a lot and I enjoy doing my bit to crack a case now and then.’

‘You’re a clever guy, one of our best new recruits.’ The Lieutenant was always careful not to call us rookies, another thing I liked about him. A confident man with no need to put down others to prove how much better he is than them. 

We talked about a few things over a couple more drinks, work mostly, current cases but our backgrounds too. I discovered he was from a small, out of the way place just like I am. We talked about the shock of big city living and the crimes that are so different from stolen tractors and missing livestock. It was a joke of course, the Lieutenant’s, because even small places have violent and dark crimes.

I was enjoying the night until a group of guys from the precinct came in.

‘You…you’re the one corrupting him. You making him into a queer like you did your partner. Mighta known you needed a replacement for your perverted activities.’ 

It was Stanners again the guy’s such an asshole. 

The Lieutenant rose up to his full height and quick as a flash grabbed the man by his collar. ‘You stupid bastard!’ He said and before Stanners could react the Lieutenant slammed him down onto our table, the beer went flying. He then yanked the man’s arm up so far behind him I thought he’d break his arm.

‘No one, I repeat no one could EVER replace Starsky. He’s my best friend and the best damn cop this place ever had. Say what you want about me, but you insult him again and I’ll break your arm and a lot more besides.’ The intensity left me in no doubt of the sincerity of his words. 

A man approached from the other side of the bar. It was Babcock. 

‘Take it easy Hutch, don’t let the idiot get to you okay?’ He put a hand on his arm as he spoke. 

The Lieutenant looked at him for a minute and then released the man. He nodded at Babcock and then stalked out of the bar without sparing a glance for anyone in the place including me. 

When I think back to that night, one thing stands out he never defended himself. And in all the months I knew him he never did. He also never boasted, he didn’t revel in his own achievements. He defended others and celebrated his Partner's achievements on occasion but played down his part like he didn’t have just as much to be proud of. Like his own acts of bravery didn’t even belong to him. 

The one act of bravery I most wanted to talk to the Lieutenant about was the notorious criminal Gunther. I’d heard that the Lieutenant had almost single handily taken the man down. He must've had some help from his fellow officers in gathering enough evidence to make the conviction stick, it had to stand up in court, but the Lieutenant had gone to arrest him by himself. When the Lieutenant arrived the man had just killed one of his own men and even with the evidence of the man’s ruthlessness in the same room the Lieutenant stood firm and did what he came there to do. I’ve been told that even with Gunther’s gun in his face the Lieutenant didn’t flinch or even feel the need to draw his own weapon. It was quite a story and one any new guy wouldn’t mind hearing about, preferably from the man himself. But it was made very clear to me on my first day that no one was to ask the Lieutenant about it. The subject was totally off limits. I don’t know who put the word around, possibly Dobey or maybe the Lieutenant himself. I never had the courage to ask, something I regret now. I wonder if the Lieutenant would have told me more than I already knew and what I would have learnt about the man by listening to the story.

The Lieutenant put some distance between us after that. I’m not sure if he did it for my sake or his, maybe both. I think he was concerned that he was making things worse for me with the other guys. It never pays to be teacher’s pet and maybe he didn’t want people to think that Stanners had a point and we were in some kind of relationship. The Lieutenant wouldn’t have a relationship with a subordinate, I’m fairly sure of that. I believe he’s a man of integrity and prides himself on his professionalism. He wouldn’t use his position of authority that way. I hate that an idiot like Stanners stopped me from spending time with a man I admire by making stupid insinuations. 

It wasn’t until there was a big operation to contend with that I got the chance to spend more time with the man. It was a drugs bust of a large drug smuggling firm. I was excited and honoured to be part of such an important bust. If only I hadn’t screwed it up.

It was the first time back in the bar since that night with Stanners. I was surprised when the word went around that the Lieutenant had put money behind the bar, to celebrate the success of the operation and a job well done. All the men involved were invited even me. Of course I was surprised after what I’d done I wasn’t expecting it. I felt almost too uncomfortable to go but couldn’t bring myself to say no. The Lieutenant never celebrated a good bust, he said well done but nothing more. And I guess I saw it as my chance to say thanks. So, I went and the moment I arrived I wished I hadn’t. The whole team was there, but the Lieutenant was nowhere to be found. Then it dawned on me that he was probably just paying for the drinks and didn’t plan to cramp the men’s style like he had hinted at in the past. I was about to turn around and head home.

‘I’m glad you came Edwards.’ The Lieutenant’s voice said from behind me.

I turned and the man was smiling wide at me. It was a beautiful thing.

‘I wouldn’t feel like staying long if you hadn’t come. These guys don’t often make their old boss feel too welcome.’

‘Old? You’re younger than half of them.’

He laughed then, a deep rumble. ‘Thanks, but maybe not quite half.’ 

I looked away then suddenly uncomfortable with the jovial conversation that I felt unworthy of. 

‘I was a bit surprised when the guys said the whole team were invited.’ I didn’t have to elaborate he knew what I meant.

‘Everyone’s invited because I was proud of all my men on this one. It was an intense one but everyone behaved admirably.’ He put a hand on my shoulder as he spoke and looked intently into my eyes. I knew what he meant too but after my failure I wasn’t sure how he could think that way.

‘Let’s join the others.’ He said.

It was a long and alcohol filled evening. I tried not to drink too much. I like my head clear and it was hard for me to except drinks consumed in celebration when I had no part in what they were celebrating. I stayed only because the Lieutenant did and he surprised me by out staying pretty much everyone until it was just the two of us and Patterson who was passed out, face down on a near by table. No doubt waiting for his lucky wife to come get him. 

‘Lieutenant, I-‘

‘Don’t say it.’

‘But you don’t know what I’m going to-‘

‘Yeah I do, you’ll either apologize or thank me and I don’t want to hear it either way.’ 

‘But if I hadn’t-‘

‘We all make mistakes; I’ve made plenty and much bigger ones. And my fellow cops have always been there to bail me out. It’s what we do. Not that I’m saying you should make a habit of movin’ outta position like that, if you do one day, you’d get yourself killed, kid. But we’re only human and you’re still new to this.’ That was the first time he’d called me kid, but his tone wasn’t patronizing so I didn’t make a thing of it.

Your Partner? He bail you out?’

‘Oh, sure more times than I can count. A good partner’s worth their weight in cold, don’t forget that.’

‘You bailed him out too though.’

‘Yeah, sure did.’ But he looked sad as he said that.

‘Is it true you once checked yourself out of hospital to save him and his temporary partner?’

‘Yeah, it’s true.’

I sensed I wasn’t going to get much more out of him. The story was one he didn’t seem comfortable sharing. For someone so heroic, I couldn’t fathom how modest he was.

‘You must miss him.’

‘I sure do.’

He was a master of the succinct answer, but I wanted more. 

‘If I asked you to tell me about him, would you?’

‘If you explained why you want to know.’

‘That picture on your wall, you and your partner holding your commendations. It captured a proud moment. But you don’t talk about it, don’t seem to anyway. You’re achievements, commendations, medals. And…and you won’t let me thank you either. You saved my life, that means something to me, but you won’t let me thank you. You wouldn’t at the time and you won’t now. There must have been a time you celebrated your bravery, it’s there in that picture but you don’t anymore, why?’

The Lieutenant let out a breath and bowed his head, I thought I’d pushed too hard.

‘You ask the difficult questions Edwards. I guess it doesn’t feel like anything to celebrate anymore.’

‘You mean now your partner’s not here to celebrate with.’

He nodded then and looked at me with a small smile. ‘But it’s not just that.’

‘Then what is it.’

‘What made you want to be a cop Edwards?’

His question took me off guard I wasn’t expecting him to turn the tables like that.

‘I…I um, wanted to help people.’

‘And the real reason, not the one that sounds good, the one you have prepared when someone asks.

I wasn’t comfortable with talking about it but if you want answers sometimes you have to give your own, turnabout is fair.

‘I…I wanted to protect people…people like my Mother.’ 

He nodded again and looked at me with soft eyes, trying to communicate something but I wasn’t sure what. Understanding perhaps.

‘Difficult childhoods motivated many a cop to join up. An attempt to balance the book maybe, justice left a hole that only justice could fill.’ 

‘Why…why did you ask that?’

‘It has to sustain you, that reason, not that it often can. When the loses start to outweigh the gains, when you feel let down more and more until that one big loss is too much to take and you lose yourself somewhere along the way, along with your reason for doing this. And you start to wonder why you keep on comin’ back for more of the same.’ 

‘But you know why you come back you must, you make a difference, you did on this case and with me. And they’ll give you another commendation for it. A medal maybe. You put yourself between me and that bullet. You showed such courage, prepared to make a great sacrifice, that must mean something to you. You deserve some kind of reward for it.’ 

‘And by reward you mean what, commendations, medals? Medals…you know where I keep those? In a shoe box under my bed. Yeah, a little surprising but then not really because they’re not what’s important. Because we’re just doing our job and doing it well but that’s all they mean. A job well done. What’s important is that what we do means something to victims and their families. That sometimes we’re there to stop bad things happening or to ensure they don’t happen again. But yeah, it’s only a drop in the ocean. The smallest difference but to someone it can be everything. It’s hard holding onto that day in and day out when doing what we do drags you down further than you ever imagined it could. The only thing that keeps you going then is the man beside you. Or the woman. The one person whoever they are who has your back no matter what. They’re the one you go to when you had a close call, like we just did. You go to them because no one outside of this understands it, not your old school buddies, not your folks and not your girl, no matter how much they love you, they’ll never understand because they live in a different world, the one you’re trying to protect, as best you can. That’s all you can ever do Edwards your best.’

‘This job has taken a lot from you Lieutenant, hasn’t it?’

‘It’s taken everything I got and still comes back for more.’

‘Are you saying it’s not worth it?’

‘Some days it is.’

‘But not every day.’

'No not every day, it couldn’t be not without…’

Without him, without your partner. I thought regretfully.

‘This job changes you,’ the Lieutenant continued, ‘in so many ways, you’ll never be the same. It gives you a lot but it takes just as much and I’d hate it to take the most important things from you Edwards. I don’t want you to wake up one morning and wonder who you are and what the point of it all is. The things you’ll go through will cut deep and I want you to know you can always talk to me, because I’ve been there. And together maybe we can still find those idealistic farm boys with the hearts of gold.’ 

I was touched by his words but there was still something I needed from him.

‘Sir, Lieutenant will you please except my sincere thanks for getting between me and that bullet, for taking the bullet that was meant for me.’

He stood up and I thought he was going to bolt like he did before but instead he just looked down at me, so I stood up.

I put out my hand and he took it. ‘You don’t have to thank me Edwards, I didn’t take a bullet it only clipped me but you are very welcome. And why don’t you go ahead and call me Hutch. When we’re not on duty, that is.’ Then he squeezed my hand and let it go. He then smiled before moving off towards Patterson. He helped the man up and said, ‘Let’s get you home, pal.’ Then he winked at me and led the man out of the bar. 

I went to the Lieutenant’s office the next morning but he wasn’t there and I felt immediately concerned, I looked around wondering what was different, something had alerted me, something was missing. Then it hit me, it was the picture behind the desk of the Lieutenant and his partner. I knew it could mean only one thing, but I rushed to Dobey’s office to confirm it. 

I knocked and went in.

‘What happened to the Lieutenant? Where is he?’ I asked with out any pleasentries.

‘Good morning to you too Edwards.’ 

I just looked at him.

‘You’re a smart lad, I think you know as well as I do that the Lieutenant couldn’t keep goin’ the way he was.’

‘He was a great boss and mentor.’ I felt like I had to defend him.

‘You think I don’t know that about him. Hutch has been one’a my best men, if not the best since before you left school, boy. But he went too far, protecting his men. He was gonna end up burnt out, broken down or worse and he knew it.’

I had the feeling somehow that what he did saving me was some kind of last straw but I couldn’t ask and the Captain wouldn’t admit that anyway. I was surprised he was being so open about the subject as it was but I could see in his face the regret at losing such a valued member of the team and no doubt a friend too.

‘You didn’t…’

‘No of course I didn’t.’

I didn’t really think Dobey would make him resign but I wanted to be sure.

‘So where is the Lieutenant? Where did he go?’

He looked at me blankly and for a horrible moment I thought he would tell me no more than that he had resigned.

‘New York.’ Dobey said.

It all made total sense then. The dream team I’d heard all those stories about were back together. I just hope one day I have a partner as loyal as my Lieutenant and that we would protect Bay city as well as Starsky and Hutch. I hope we have each other’s backs and are there when things get tough. Yes, if there’s one thing I want from this job it’s a partnership like theirs.

**Author's Note:**

> If anyone's interested this story was inspired by the film A Month In The Country. There is a scene in the film where two former soldiers talk about medals and how meaningless they are compared to the human cost of war. It's a beautiful scene.


End file.
